OT: 7 October 1916 – Pipe-Major [“MacKinnon Piobaireachd”]

The Oban Times, 7 October, 1916

[MacKinnon Piobaireachd]

30 September, 1916

Sir,–I observe a letter in your last issue from Mr. Simon Fraser, Australia, in which he says there are four Clan MacKinnon Piobaireachd in Gesto’s Collection. I have put myself to a good deal of trouble to see a copy of Gesto’s book, and there is not a tune in it with a MacKinnon name, nor one such as quoted by Mr. Fraser. The late General Thomason had every known piobaireachd in his “Ceol Mor,” and there is not a MacKinnon piobaireachd in his book. I also read a letter which appeared from the pen of your able Edinburgh correspondent, Mr. John Grant, in which he stated the fact, viz., that there is no known MacKinnon piobaireachd existing, and in his book recently published on piobaireachd, Mr. Grant gives no Clan MacKinnon piobaireachd there in his list of existing tunes. The late Gen. Thomason and Mr. Grant were both thoroughly qualified men in the art, and I believe them to be right. Mr. Fraser gives no proof of his MacKinnon tunes, and my advice to all concerned is to beware of imitations and falsified tunes.–I am, etc.,

Pipe-Major